Quick mounting shelf and legs



April 15, 1958 w. L. CANNING QUICK MOUNTING SHELF AND macs Filed July20, 1954 IN V EN TOR.

W191 7'67? 1.. Cfl/VA/l/VG QUICK MOUNTING SHELF AND LEGS Walter L.Canning, Detroit, Mich. Application July 20, 1954, Serial No. 444,594 4Claims. (Cl. 211-90) This invention relates to a quick mounting shelfassembly and supporting legs therefore which are quickly and easilymountable above a previous shelf or a floor such as in a closet.

Several shelf and leg devices have been employed heretofore tofacilitate the establishing of a shelf such as in the upper part of theclosetfor hats, etc.,"or in the lower part of a closet such as forshoes'to use the otherwise unused space, however, the several devices ofthe prior art have not proven entirely satisfactory inasmuch as they arecomplicated in design and construction, expensive to manufacture, anddifiicult and unsatisfactory to install and use.

With the foregoing in view, the primary object of the invention is toprovide an adjustable, auxiliary shelf which is simple in design andconstruction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy and satisfactorytoinstall, use, and remove without spoiling the adjacent walls or floors.

An objectof the invention is to'provide a quick mounting shelf assemblycomposed of two telescoping sheetmetal shelf members.

An object of the invention is to provide wooden cross pieces atthe outerends of the telescoping shelf members for reinforcingand mountingpurposes. 1

An object of the invention is to provide indexed slots in the faces ofthe telescoping shelf members and a cooperating center cross memberwhich in conjunction with a nut and bolt facilitates reinforcing andlocking the members in the desired lengthwise adjusted position.

An object of the invention is to provide leg members which have axiallyextending tangs at either end thereof for locking between the existingshelf. and side Wall atthe bottom and for locking between the existingwall and inventive shelf assembly, at the top.

An object of the invention is to provide extending feet at the top andbottomof the leg members so that the leg members are supported andlocated at the proper horizontal plane at their bottom ends-and also forsupporting the inventive shelf assembly thereabove.

An object of the invention is to provide a center backleg having anaperture for receiving a tongue of a triangulatedbridge or brace portionto support the inventive shelf assembly in thecenterin the area of thecenter cross piece reinforcement in conjunction with the locking nut andbolt. i

An object of the invention is'to provide a quickly insertable shelfassembly which is mountable without the use of nails or screws. 3

An object of the invention is to provide an inventive shelf assembly andlegs therefore which can be manufactured' cheaply as thecomponent partsare easily made and the assembly of the parts readily accomplished.

An object of the invention is to provide an inventive shelf andlegassembly which can be installed with ease by any person including ahouseholder orhis wife.

An object of the invention is to provide a shelf and leg assembly whichcan be fitted to all sized shelves, walls, or

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rangement of the parts thereof.

An object of the invention is to provide a shelf and leg assembly whichcan be easily dismounted and moved to another position if desired.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent byreference to the following description of a telescoping shelf andsupporting legs therefore embodying the invention taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig.1 is a front elevational view of the device such as installed on acloset shelf between the side walls thereof.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 1 taken on the line 22 thereof.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 2 of the end leg andshelf assembly at the end thereof.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the inventive leg.

Fig. 5 is a top perspective view of the inventive shelf; and

Fig) 6 is a perspective bottom View of the inventive shelf.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like figures refer to like andcorresponding parts throughout the several views, the shelf assembly andlegs therefore discloses therein to illustrate the invention comprises,a telescoping shelf member 111 which is disposed between the side wallsL and R against the back wall B and above the shelf S. The shelfassembly 10 is supported on the legs 11 and 11A and it is to be notedthat the legs 11 and 11A lie against the walls with portions of the legsdisposed between the shelves and walls to locate, position, and securethe legs.

More particularly, the inventive quick-mounting shelf assembly 10comprises a first externally telescoping member 12 having an outer end12A, an inner co-operating end 1213, a face slot 12C and a first endcross piece 15 located at the outer end 12A thereof; a second internallytelescoping shelf member 13 having an outer end 13A, an innercooperating end 13B, 2. second end cross piece 14 located at the outerend thereof, and a center-face slot 13C adapted to index with the slot12C. The center cross piece 16 lies within the telescoped portions 12and 13 in the area of their indexed slots 12C and 13C with the bolt 16lying in the slots and through an aperture in the cross piece 16 and thenut17 is threaded on the bolt 16 to compress the telescoped members 12and 13 and the center cross piece 16 into frictional engagement tofrictionally bind the parts as adjusted.

The leg portions 11 are preferably composed of flat wall I contactingportions 2% and 21 and a center connecting outwardly extending ribbedportion 22 the ends 23 and 24 of which constitutes tabs or feet forcontacting the horizontal shelf surface below the legs and forcontacting the telescoping shelf assembly at the upper portion of thelegs. Theflat portions 21) and 21 are equipped with tangs 25,

26, 27, and 28 which extend axially beyond the foot portions 23 and 24and which are provided with sharp points so as to be adaptable so as tobe driven into the shelf below and between the joint of the floor belowand the wall on either side thereof. The feet portions 23 and 24 can beequipped with outwardly extending toe portions 29 and 311 which maybeequipped with apertures 31 and 32 for receiving a nail therethrough suchas desired when mounting a shelf as a permanent addition. Likewise the Vat the top thereof for interconnecting the brace member flat side wallcontacting side portions 20 and 21 can be provided with apertures 33,34, 35, and 36 to enable a user to establish the leg portions in aconnected relationship to the walls to which they are adjacent.

The center leg portion 11A is provided with an aperture 14, within thearea of the ribbed portion 22 for receiving the tongue 40 of thetriangulating center bridge or brace member 41 which is equipped with anapertured tab 42 41 with the center cross member 16 via the nut and bolt16 and 17. The dismounted assembly is easily packaged in a carton forretail sales at various stores. The shipping and handling of the deviceis made much easier and insures the customer of receiving a complete kitwhile at the same time provides an inexpensive manner of handling theinventive device and getting the device to the public.

To mount the inventive device on a shelf in a closet for the purposes ofillustration, the user locates a leg 11 in the back corner of the closetabove the shelf S against either the back wall B or side walls, L and R,it being shown in the drawing as being against the side walls, and byusing a hammer against the upper foot 23, the user drives the bottomtangs 27 and 28 into the bottom shelf S. These legs will then stand inposition until their use is required. The user then locates two legsspaced forwardly from the back legs a distance equal to the widthof theshelf and again drives the bottom tangs 27 and 28 into the bottom shelfS or between the bottom shelf S and the side walls L and R. If a centerback reinforcing leg is required, the user then drives a leg 11A betweenthe shelf S and the back wall B by driving the guide tangs 27 and 28between the back edge of the shelf S and the surface of the back wall Bor into the surface of the shelf S immediately adjacent at the back wallB. It is to be noted that the front leg-s will also stand in positionuntil required.

The user then places the inventive shelf assembly above the legs 11 andextends the telescoping members 12 and 13 relative to one another untilthe ends 12A and 13A abut the top tangs and 26 of the legs 11 and forcesthe fiat wall contact portions 20 and 21 of the legs 11 into a pressuredposition against the walls L, R, and B. The user then locates the centerreinforcement 16 opposite the back leg 11A and places the bridge 41 withits tongue in the aperture 44 of the back leg 11A and connects theaperture tab 42 over the bolt 16 and then tightens the nut 17 againstthe tab 42 whereby the head of the bolt 16 presses oppositely to the nut17 and wedges the telescoping members 12 and 13 together as well as thecenter brace tab 42 into a solid frictionally engaged locked condition.This simple maneuver establishes the auxiliary or supplementary shelf 10in position firmly and fixedly Without the use of nails or other wallpiercing devices. It is obvious that should a center bridge support 41be considered not necessary, the center leg can be eliminated as well asthe bridge member 41 within the purview of the invention and the nut andbolt and cross member will lock the device in position as can beunderstood from the previous description.

Should the user decide to then nail the device in position, he can drivenails through the toe apertures 31 and 32 into the shelves below andinto the end cross members 14 and 15 above and he may also, if desired,nail the legs themselves to the adjacent walls via the apertures 34, 35,36, and 33. The apertures are provided to suit the desires orrequirements of the user rather than to necessitate integrating theshelf and legs in an established weight supporting position.

The inventive shelf and leg assembly with these features constitutes acompact, durable, and neat appearing shelf which is easily operated andthe assembly has an appearance as attractive as though much labor, time,and cost had been consumed in establishing the shelf.

Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail, it is obvious that many changes may be made in thesize, shape, detail, and arrangements of the various elements of theinvention within the scope of the appended claims. For example one tangmember can be provided at the top and bottom of the legs. The centercross piece member also can be eliminated and the nut and bolt applieddirectlyto the telescoping members 12 and 13. It is also obvious thatthe toe members 29 and 30 can be eliminated from the foot portions 23and 24 and the center ribbed portion be employed to support the legs.

I claim:

1. In combination, a quick mounting shelf assembly and supporting legscomprising an externally telescoping shelf member having an outer end,an inner co-operating end, a face slot adjacent said co-operating end,and a first end cross piece at the outer end thereof; an internallytelescoping shelf member having an outer end, an inner co-operating end,a face slot adjacent said co-operating end, and a second end cross pieceat the outer end thereof; said members being adapted to telescope andsaid slots to index; a bolt slidably disposed in said members indexedslots, a third cross piece having an aperture for receiving said boltadjustably slidably disposed with said bolt relative to said members, anut on said bolt adapted to frictionally lock said members and saidthird cross piece in adjusted telescopic position such as with saidfirst and second cross pieces abutting opposed adjacent vertical wallsurfaces; leg members adapted to lie against adjacent vertical wallsurfaces at the four corners of said shelf assembly, a bottom foot oneach said leg members adapted to rest on an adjacent horizontal surface,at least one bottom tang on each said leg members extending axiallybeyond said bottom foot adapted to lie in a position between theadjacent vertical wall surfaces and the adjacent horizontal surfaces toprevent movement of said leg members; said bottom tangs being adapted tobe driven into position between the surfaces and said bottom feet beingadapted to act as stops on the horizontal surface so as to properlyhorizontally locate the bottom of said leg members; a top foot on eachof said leg members adapted to support said shelf assembly at said firstand second end cross pieces, and at least one top tang on each said legmembers extending axially beyond said top feet so as to lie in aposition between said shelf assembly first and second end cross piecesand the adjacent vertical wall surfaces to prevent movement of the topsof said leg members; said shelf assembly being adapted to telescopeoutwardly to engage said top tangs and to lock thereagainst.

2. In a device as set forth in claim 1, a like center back leg having aslot intermediate the ends thereof located in the plane of said centercross member, and a bridge member triangulated between said back leg andsaid center cross member; said bridge member having a tongue forengaging said back leg via said slot and an aperture for engaging saidbolt and nut so as to support said shelf assembly at said center crossmember.

3. A quick mounting shelf assembly comprising a first externallytelescoping shelf member having an outer end, an inner co-operating end,and a first end cross piece at the outer end thereof; a secondinternally telescoping shelf member having an outer end, an innerco-operating end,

' a face slot adjacent said co-operating end, a second end cross pieceat the outer end thereof, and a face slot adjacent said co-operatingend; said members being adapted to telescope together and said slots toindex; a bolt slidably disposed in said members indexed slots, a thirdcross piece having an aperture for receiving said bolt adjustablyslidably disposed with said bolt relative to said members, and 'a nut onsaid bolt adapted to frictionally lock said members and said third crosspiece in the adjusted position.

4. A quick mounting and dismounting leg for supporting a shelf withoutthe use of nails or screws comprising a leg portion adapted to lieagainst an adjacent vertical surface, 'a protruding ribbed portionextending sidewise outwardly from said leg portion adapted to abut asupporting horizontal surface below and a supported horizontal surfaceabove, and tangs on said leg portion extending axially beyond saidribbed portion at either end thereof adapted to be located between saidvertical and horizontal surfaces so as to secure said legs in mountedposition without other securement with said ribbed portion acting as astop against said horizontal surfaces to prevent overtravel of saidtangs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSMaytham June 8, 1897 Dannenberg Mar. 1, 1904 Kettcman Sept. 5, 1905Greene Aug. 5, 1913 Goddin Oct. 27, 1914

